1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer in which images can be registered and stored, to an image registration device for registering images in the printer, to an efficient printer system composed of this printer and image registration device, and to an image registration method.
2. Description of Related Art
Some printers that are used in POS systems enable the user to store image data in the printer. Such printers typically have internal nonvolatile storage such as NVRAM in which image data representing the store logo, coupons, or other information is stored. The printer then prints the image data on roll paper, for example, based on commands from the host computer to issue a sales receipt. Compared with a text-only receipt, this enables the store to print more attractive receipts, creating a more favorable impression on the customer.
This system also eliminates the need for the host computer to send the image data to the printer each time a receipt is printed because the image data resides in the printer. Image data can thus be printed frequently even when the communication rate between the host and printer is slow and the system is thus not well-suited to transferring large images.
A key code or identification (ID) code that uniquely identifies each image is assigned to each image data file stored in the printer. The image data is managed in the printer using the key code assigned to each image. When the printer receives a key code or a print command associated with a particular key code from the host computer at a predetermined timing, the printer prints to roll paper the image data corresponding to the received key code or the image associated with the predefined command. The host computer can thus simply send the appropriate key code or print command associated with a particular key code to cause the printer to print a particular image.
A problem with this conventional arrangement is that it is difficult for the user to know what image corresponds to a particular key code. In order for the user to edit image data stored in the printer, he or she must enter a key code and print a hard copy preview of the corresponding image, or print a test page of key codes and corresponding images in order to select and edit the desired image.
Furthermore, in order to preview the images on the display of the host computer, the image data must be acquired from the printer.
If the printer is connected through a serial interface or other similarly slow interface, time will be wasted waiting for the image data to travel between the printer and host computer, thus reducing data processing efficiency.
To solve these problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer in which images can be stored while enabling the user to efficiently process the stored image data using an image registration device, an efficient printer system comprising these devices, and an image registration method for registering images in the printer.